Guernsey Dam is an
earthfill dam
A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, ...
on the
North Platte River
The North Platte River is a major tributary of the Platte River and is approximately long, counting its many curves.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed March 21, 2011 In a ...
in
Platte County in the
U.S. State
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
Wyoming
Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...
. The dam creates Guernsey Reservoir, the last of the 5 major reservoirs on the North Platte River in Wyoming. The dam contains a hydroelectric plant capable of 6.4 megawatts of electricity.
The total capacity of the reservoir is of water which is used mainly for irrigation.
Morrison-Knudsen (Now
URS Corporation
URS Corporation (formerly United Research Services) was an engineering, design, and construction firm and a U.S. federal government contractor. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, URS was a full-service, global organization with office ...
) and
Utah Construction Company constructed Guernsey Dam and the hydroelectric plant as part of the
North Platte Project
The North Platte Project (originally the Sweetwater Project) is an irrigation project in the U.S. states of Wyoming and Nebraska. The project provides irrigation service to about . The primary water storage for the project is in Pathfinder Reserv ...
to provide irrigation to eastern Wyoming and western
Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...
. Guernsey helps control the river flow and stores water released from the project's primary storage upstream at
Pathfinder Reservoir
Pathfinder Reservoir is located in the U.S. state of Wyoming on the North Platte River between Casper and Rawlins. It sits 47 miles (76 km) southwest of Casper, in Carbon County and Natrona County. The reservoir was created by Pathfinder Da ...
. About downstream of the dam the Whalen Diversion Dam diverts water into the Fort Laramie and Interstate Canals that service farms in Wyoming and Nebraska.
The reservoir is surrounded by
Guernsey State Park.
See also
*
List of largest reservoirs of Wyoming
References
External links
*
*
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Buildings and structures in Platte County, Wyoming
Historic American Engineering Record in Wyoming
Reservoirs in Wyoming
Dams in Wyoming
United States Bureau of Reclamation dams
Dams completed in 1928
Dams on the North Platte River
Landforms of Platte County, Wyoming
1928 establishments in Wyoming
Hydroelectric power plants in Wyoming